When to use QR codes
QR codes shine when your users are offline or moving through the physical world — posters, flyers, packaging, business cards, restaurant tables, event badges. They’re also useful in slides where typing a URL is impractical.
Which type should I pick?
| Type | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| URL | Websites, landing pages | Use HTTPS. Shorten long URLs first. |
| Text | Wi‑Fi credentials, plain notes | Great for internal signage. |
| Support inbox, contact forms | Subject + body pre-fill on scan. | |
| Phone | Sales, hotlines | tel: URI opens the dialler directly. |
Print or screen?
For print, always download the SVG. It stays perfectly sharp at any size.
Common scanning failures
- Too small. Aim for a minimum of 2 cm × 2 2 cm on paper.
- Low contrast. Dark modules on a light background scan best.
- Overly dense data. Long URLs make the pattern denser; shorten first.
- Reflective surfaces. Glossy posters can defeat scanners in bright light.
Design tips
- Leave a quiet zone (a white margin) around the QR of at least 4 modules.
- Never rotate the code more than 45°.
- If you must brand the code with a centre logo, keep it under 20% of the total area.
Good distance: a 3cm QR scans well from up to 30cm.
Good contrast: #000 on #fff — avoid photo backgrounds.
What ToolMint won’t do
We don’t inject tracking parameters, we don’t require an account, and we don’t store the payload. If you scan a ToolMint QR, it goes exactly where you told it to.